"Organic waste" for purposes of this specification is essentially animal and vegetable matter. In some instances, the organic waste produced by a food-handling facility can be convened into livestock feed. Quite often, however, such waste is simply dumped.
In a large grocery store, organic waste is often collected in small receptacles, then transferred to large plastic bags, and then placed in large bins outside the store for pick-up by a disposal service. The waste is then carted to a disposal site, such as a landfill, where it may be buried. There are several shortcomings to such practices. Often valuable commercial space must be dedicated to handling and storage of waste. The cost of transporting and dumping large volumes of waste has increased very significantly in recent years, and repeated manual handling by staff of the food-handling facility contributes further to costs. Unless subject to further processing, the waste is in a form suitable only for landfill sites. Organic waste dumped in landfill sites tends to decompose slowly because oxygen and appropriate nutrients required by soil organism for decomposition are lacking. Dumping waste in plastic or paper containers further hampers decomposition and recycling of organic materials to the soil. Such practices and shortcomings are characteristic of other food-handling facilities.
Another common approach is to dispose of organic waste in sanitary sewage lines. The waste may be ground in a mill, mixed with copious quantities of water, and then flushed into a sanitary line. This approach is convenient from the perspective of the food-handling facility, requiring minimal dedication of floor space and manual handling of waste. However, problems associated with waste handling are in essence transferred to the water treatment plant. The plant must separate the waste from the water, treat the water before discharge to the environment, and then dispose of the solid waste. As well, appropriate sanitary lines must be provided and then maintained clear of obstructions. The cost of such operations must be borne either by the food-handling facility or the water treatment plant.